2 6 28 ready for lift off (science)

A launch team gets the space shuttle ready to fly.. The launch team fixes any parts of the orbiter that need repair... Space Shuttle External tank Solid rocket booster Solid rocket boost

by Ann Takman

PHOTOGRAPHY CREDITS: Cover © Stockbyte/Getty Images 1 Stocktrek Images/Getty Images 2 Atlas Photo Bank/ Photo Researchers, Inc 3 NASA/Photo Researchers, Inc 4 NASA 6 NASA 7 NASA 8 Stocktrek Images/Getty Images

9 NASA 10 Stockbyte/Getty Images.

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ISBN-13: 978-0-547-02988-7

ISBN-10: 0-547-02988-8

1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 SDP 15 14 13 12 11 10 09 08

by Ann Takman

This is a space shuttle.

It looks like an airplane,

but it travels in space

Astronauts have explored space

in space shuttles since 1981

Astronauts must learn how to

work in space

They study subjects such as

astronomy and math

They learn how to move

and live in space, too

Many people help astronauts

get ready to fly

A launch team gets the space shuttle ready to fly

They check the orbiter to be sure its parts work correctly

The orbiter carries astronauts

and equipment

The launch team fixes any parts of the orbiter that need repair

Space Shuttle

External tank

Solid rocket booster Solid rocket booster

Orbiter

Orbiter engines

The launch team tests and checks

the external tank

This tank holds fuel

The launch team tests and checks

the solid rocket boosters

These boosters hold fuel, too

A team puts together the solid rocket boosters, the external tank, and the orbiter to form the space shuttle

The team puts very cold fuel into

the external tank

The fuel is so cold that ice forms

on the tank

A few hours before launch,

another team makes sure that

there isn’t too much ice on the tank

At liftoff, the solid rocket boosters begin to work

Their force helps push the shuttle off the ground

After about two minutes,

the boosters float back to Earth

Solid rocket boosters Orbiter engines

At liftoff, the orbiter engines work They also push the shuttle

off the ground

They get the shuttle into space

The engines use fuel

from the external tank

The tank is empty after about eight minutes, and then it falls away, too

Now the orbiter can orbit Earth.

In the future, many people

may travel by space shuttle

Maybe you will be one of them!

TARGET VOCABULARY Word Builder Make

a word web around the word space What might you see in space? Copy this word

web and add more words.

Text to Self You have just read about the

space shuttle Would you like to fly in

one? Write a few sentences telling why or why not Use two words from the Word Builder in your paragraph.

Write About It

space

explored

float

force

future orbit repair space

TARGET VOCABULARY

TARGET STRATEGY Analyze/Evaluate Tell how you feel about the text, and why.

On the water sits a boat It does not sink because it can

HOUGHTON MIFFLIN

Online Leveled Books

Level: L

DRA: 24

Science

Strategy:

Monitor/Clarify

Word Count: 294